The French do it better
by HelloInfinity
Summary: Something happens to Max's parents and shes forced to move in with her Aunt Mahtava. In France. French equals mystery with Max. Especially when she meets Francois Noir. Fax, of coarse.
1. How about France?

I slowly stumbled off the train and glanced around the crowded station. Over in the corner was my Aunt Mahtava, waving her bare hand at me. I slowly walked through the masses of people and stood awkwardly in front of her. "Hey." I mumbled.

"Hello Maxima! How are you? Let my nephew take your bag." She turned to a blonde boy that was standing slightly behind her, pressed against the wall. His blue eyes pierced me like daggers and I took a step back. "Incendie, sois poli, dis bonjour. Aussi, s'il vous plaît prendre sac Maxima pour elle!" Mahtava spit out a language I was only vaguely farmiliar with. I understood the words 'please' and 'bonjour'. I also registered his name meant 'fire'.

"Oui, ma tante." He replied, and reached out to take my small suitcase. "Hello, I'm Incendie. But you can call me Iggy. It means the same thing, just in English."

"I'm Maxima." I told him, pulling my bag back. "I can take care of my own possessions, thank you very much."

"Peu importe." He mumbled in what I believed was French. How annoying. Then again, I would have to get used to it, being in France and all. "Ma tante, je crois que nous sommes prêts à aller."

Aunt Mahtava nodded and told me to follow her. I slowly did, the straps of my plain black bag digging into my palm, my backpack bouncing with every step I took. I almost considered giving a bag to Iggy but decided against it. I could take care of myself. I gingerly switched hands and shook out the hand, now with angry red marks showing the outline of the strap. "Va chercher la voiture, Iggy."

"Oui, ma tante Mahtava." He mumbled and walked off as soon as the last word was out of his pale pink lips. We were now outside on the curb, cars going by us at twenty kilometers an hour.

"So, Maxima, how was your life in Canada?" Surprisingly, Aunt Mahtava didn't have a very heavy French accent. I could understand her and her nephew, my cousin, very well.

"Good, I guess." I kicked at a pebble on the sidewalk and watched it fall off the curb and into the middle of the road. A taxi ran over top it and the air moved it a few inches.

"I guess?"

"I didn't have many friends. I was a loner." I told her nonchalantly. A light blue car pulled up in front of us and Iggy got out of the driver's side. He came over and took my bag, putting it in the previously popped trunk. Slowly, I climbed in the back seat and grabbed my book. I had decided to immerse myself in it, I didn't want to talk. Sadly, these French people made that extremely difficult.

Question after question was asked by my Aunt Mahtava. She was turned around to look at me, her bright red lipstick covered lips moving up and down in synchronization. Eventually I turned to look out the window and gave my new guardian a dismissive shrug. Surprisingly, she had avoided the reason I was here. The reason I wasn't sitting on my bed in my blue and brown room, listening to music and getting lost in book after book. The reason that she was, like I said earlier, my guardian. I should give the lady a prize.

A few hours later we arrived in a little village. A small wooden sign read 'Bois. Nombre de personnes: 481'. Bois? Didn't that mean wood? I was going to be living in a town called wood with a population of 481? Well then.

We pulled up into a small house with acres of land around it. The trees that lined the property were bountiful with fruit and a small garden lie under the window. Bird houses were nailed to the bark of the trees, painted in elaborate patterns. "We're here!" Mahtava sang out and again spoke to Iggy in the language I didn't understand. "Trouver des sacs de votre cousin et rencontrer votre oncle dans les avez bien un peu de travail avant le souper."

"Dois-je faire?" Iggy whined and I let out a small laugh.

"Oui, vous garçon paresseux. Maintenant, partez!" She exclaimed and smiled. "Come on, Maxima, lets get you settled." I grabbed my backpack off the seat beside me and followed her upstairs. Iggy came behind my other bag in tow. Aunt Mahtava led me to a small room, a brass framed bed was off to the side. A gorgeous black floral pattern was sewed into the white background that was my comforter. A few pillows matched and my room was painted in a similar scheme. The one wall by my window was painted in a soft yellow, and instead of a window sill there was a window seat. The cushion cover matched the wall, the pillows did too, little sunflowers being the pattern. A small brown wooden chest of drawers was off in the corner and a small bedside table that matched was beside my bed. "What do you think?"

I ran my hand down the intricately carved, black wood of my door and took it all in. "It's gorgeous." I breathed and lay my ripped backpack on the gorgeous blanket. I looked at my Aunt and gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

"Your Welcome. Now, supper is in an hour. Go ahead and get settled. We own quite a few acres of woods and they are gorgeous for walks." She silently closed the door behind here and I heaved my suitcase onto my bed. I easily put my small amount of clothes into the drawers and put my book, iPod and journal on my bedside table. I tucked the suitcase and backpack under my bed and picked up my journal from where I had put it down seconds ago.

In seconds I was sitting by the window, the soft yellow curtains parted to let the sun in. I saw the green grass shone in the setting afternoon sun. In the distance was the wood Mahtava told me about. If I were going to go for that walk, I would have to write quickly and be out the door in ten.

_Saturday,_

_Ever since the 'incident' I've decided time is meaningless. Did that sound as cheesy as I thought it did? Well anyway, I've decided to never rely on the date if I can help it, so, I am not going to write it. I am only going to write the day. I guess I can say it's somewhere in the summer. Happy? Anyway, I've arrived in France. Everyone talking French is DRIVING ME INSANE. Iggy is pretty cute, too bad he is my cousin. Oh, god, That sounded wrong. Anyway, I'm off for a walk. _

_~Max_

I closed my beaten leather journal and lay it down on the cushion, with a quick, fleeting glance outside I realized I could climb out the window. Lattice ran up the side of my house making an easy escape. Carefully I creaked open the window and unhooked the screen. I moved it to under my bed and stuck my feet out the newly opened window. "Il y avait une bombe à la Turquie dans mon pantalon!" Was shouted from downstairs and I laughed. Turkey, bomb and in my pants in the same sentence. Wow... a small smile playing on my lips, I flipped myself around and lowered myself, gripping onto the windowsill. Slowly, I brought my foot down, and then a hand. Hand, foot, hand, foot.

Eventually, I was standing on the ground, facing the white stucco wall. I turned and began to walk towards the woods. At the last minute I turned left and went towards a little dirt path. So I wouldn't fall, I carefully maneuvered myself around the rocks and roots. Eventually I had found a little clearing. It was nice and simple. Just grass with trees surrounding. I bet I could build a nice little fort here. Sighing, I lay back and took in the bit of golden rays streaming through the hole in the trees.

"Qui êtes-vous?" A voice called from the edge of the wood. Startled, I sat up and turned, facing the voice.

"Huh? Je ne parle pas le français." That was all I had retained in my many years of FSL. And it basically went against the sentence it was. Did that make sense.

"Oh? And you were still able to say that?" The voice turned into a shadow which turned into a person. It crossed the short distance between us and kneeled in front of me.

"Yes. So what did you say before?" I stared into his Onyx eyes and marveled at the way his dark hair fell into them. His hair wasn't like most guys, greasy and messy, his was freshly washed. It wasn't exactly perfect, some of it stuck up in the back, but it was extremely cute.

"I asked who you were. I thought you would understand, it is France and all."

"I just moved here from Canada. Now, if this is 'France and all' how do you know English?"

"I gotz skillz." He smirked at me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Apparently, considering you butcher the language so well." I was now kneeling in front of him, eye to eye. He shrugged and I gave a small laugh.

"You never answered my question."

"I'm Maxima. You can call me Max. Whats your name?" I sat back on my heals and folded my hands together. Somewhere a mocking bird was being annoying. I sent it a look.

"I'm Francois. All my friends call me Fang, though."

"How do you get Fang from Francois? And what does Francois mean?"

"I don't know where my friends got Fang from and Francois means free." He told me, picking some grass out of the soft earth. "Whats Maxima means?" I knew very well he knew what it meant. It was French after all.

"Greatest." I told him. "It's like the word Maximum."

"Where are you staying?" he asked me.

"Stalkerish much?" He smirked at me. "I live in the white stucco house with my Aunt Mahtava Dubois." I pointed in the general direction of my new found abode.

"I live with my parents, Corbeau and Ondine Noir."

"They have gorgeous names. And your last name suits you."

"Who says that's my last name?"

"Your parents...?"

"Well yea, it is my last name. I wish my last name was diable."

"Devil?" I questioned. He gave me a wicked smirk.

"Ya."

"Well then." I stared off into the almost completely set sun and heard the sound of bells in the distance. "I have to go."

"Bye. J'ai le sentiment que je ne vais pas pouvoir dormir ce soir, pour le moment la réalité est toujours préférable à mes rêves."

He got up and sunk into the shadows. I waved and just sat there for a second. What had just happened? I repeated the last part in my head '_J'ai le sentiment que je ne vais pas pouvoir dormir ce soir, pour le moment la réalité est toujours préférable à mes rêves.'_

I have to try and remember that, I thought. Slowly, I got to my feet and sauntered through the foliage.

"Francois. Fang. Francois Noir. Fang Diable. Fang Noir. Francois Diable." No matter how I said his name it sounded beautiful. Too soon, I was back in the yard. The sun long over the horizon. A worried Aunt was sitting on the step, ringing a bell. "Hey, Aunt Mahtava!" I called out. Her worried face grew relieved and I sighed, searching. I saw no anger and I was relieved.

"Where were you?" She asked quietly. "You could've been killed. Vous savez ce qui aurait pu arrivé? Je veux dire, il n'est jamais arrivé, mais il pourrait y avez été un violeur ou un meurtrier notre dans les bois. Vous pourriez avoir été kidnappé! Eh bien laisse simplement avoir ... patientez un instant. Je parle po .. oops. I was talking in French, I'm sorry. Lets just have supper." She grabbed my hand and led me inside.

I followed and sat at the large ornate dinner table, thinking of the dark guy who had graced my life. He couldn't be much older then my fifteen. Seventeen at the most. Maybe... I sighed inwardly and continued to think of my dark angel. My dark diable. I was snapped out of my reverie with...

"Tomorrow were up at six am!" WHAT?!


	2. Maxima Conduire

**a/n The Olympics are over. I'm super depressed. Hey! If you watched the closing ceremonies tell me Whatcha thought in a review. Sorry about the french in the last chapter! I'll put translations at the bottom of this one. Most stuff in french you don't need to know, its just so that it feels like france! **

Sure enough, we were up at six the next morning. "Le cerveau est plus large que le ciel. Lève-toi maintenant, pensez à grande haute et voler. Bonjour! The brain is wider than the sky. Get up now, think big and fly high. Good Morning!" Aunt Mahtava shouted, hurrying across my room and flinging open my drapes. I pulled my pillow over my head and mumbled a weak "Go away."

She proceeded to rip off my blankets and push me out of bed. Well. I didn't really want to hit my head first thing in the morning, so in order to avoid it, I got up. Who knows, maybe she was going to kick me or throw a bucket of ice water on me. Geez, Aunt Mahtava is starting to sound abusive.

Exhausted, I stumbled to my drawers and pulled out my outfit for the day. Jeans and a t-shirt. Simple, yet classy. The lovely smell of bacon wafted up the stairs and I took a deep breath. I basically ran down the stairs and slid into my chair, fork and knife at the ready. Realizing how stupid I looked, and the fact bacon was finger food, I blushed and put them down. Iggy chuckled and forked a good amount onto my plate.

Aunt Mahtava gave me a couple pancakes and my mouth greeted them warmly. Meaning, I devoured them in seconds. "Good eater, I like that." She gave me a wink and a quick smile and told us what we were doing today. "Maxima, your going to help me clean the house and then we will make lunch. After, we have to go into town and grab a few things. I was thinking a nice floral arrangement for the table. I know I could use the flowers from my garden, but I don't have orchids, or roses. Those would look lovely in here. Oops, off topic." She began clearing the table and motioned for me to help her while telling Iggy what to do. He rolled his eyes and walked outside.

Honestly, I didn't see why I needed to help clean the house, it was already spotless. I helped anyway, the quicker I got it done, the quicker I could beg not to go to town. Using some excuse like 'homework' or 'I had writer's block until a few minutes ago and now I have to write it down before it descends on me again and eats my brain' used to work on my parents. This is my dad's sister, they're flesh and blood, it should work.

Eventually, I stood staring at the literally sparkling house. "Good work." Aunt Mahtava tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shook my hand. "Now to town."

"Um, I was hoping I could maybe not go.." I stood kinda awkwardly, wondering what she would say.

"Nonsense! You are coming and that is that!" She hustled me out the door before I could say anything else. I grumbled a bit but made my way to her car. Some bad '80s music played and I immediatly shut it off. No disco please.

You know what I never knew? France drives on the right side of the road, just like England. So, I was sitting in the driver's side of Aunties car. Aunt Mahtava procedded to laugh at me and I glared hoping over the console, to lazy to get out and go around. "You got mud on my seats!" She exclaimed, looking at the footprints I had left in my wake.

"Thats what you get for France having their cars the wrong way." I mumbled, staring out the window.

"Well, actually, its the right way..." Was that cheesy or was that just cliche? I don't know. Whatever it was, Mahtava cackled like a maniac and I was scared to be in a car with her.

"Do you know the Noir family?" I suddenly asked my Aunt.

"Yes. We don't know them very well though. I think Iggy fancies one of their daughters." She swerved to avoid a pot-hole and I grabbed onto the 'Oh, shit.' handle. That was what my parents had named it.

"Oh. Do you know what J'ai le sentiment que je ne vais pas pouvoir dormir ce soir, pour le moment la réalité est toujours préférable à mes rêves means?" I looked down at my jeans while I spoke, picking at a loose thread.

"Why?"

"Someone... said that to me."

"Well, if they said it in french, they probably wanted you to figure it out on your own. Or know sometime later. It's really sweet though."

Well crap.

"Is it just me or is it a million degrees out?" I cranked down my window with the hand-roller-downer. No automatic electric crap. I stuck my head out the window and my hair whipped around my face. I took in deep lungfuls of air and smelt the rain I knew was coming. The clouds told all. The gentle breeze rustled the grass in a gorgeous way and blue sky peeked out from under the fog. I hadn't seen rain in so long! It never rained in Alberta.

The car abruptly pulled into a small dirt parking lot and I put my shoes on. I hadn't even realized I'd taken them off! I jumped out of the car and landed in a crouch. That was so much fun! Someone gave me a strange look but I brushed it off. I stalked around the car and bounced up onto the sidewalk. Well, I'm not a mental case, at all.

"Come on, Maxima!" Aunt Mahtava called from the door of the floor shop.

"Call me Max!" I called back and ran a few steps to catch up with her. With were soon within the cool four walls looking at flower arangements. I didn't know what the heck I was doing so I looked around at the mini cactus's. 7 Euros were burning a hole in my pocket. And look at this! The cutest little cactus was only 2 Euros! Perfect!

I brought it up to the counter and plopped the money on the counter along with the cactus. It had the cutest little pot. The cashier looked at it and spoke the price to me. "Deux euros." He slid the money off the counter and gave me my change.

"Merci." I nodded and carried it over to Aunt. "Look what I got!" I gleefully held up my cactus.

"Oh, Max.. wow..." I shrugged and walked out to the car. It was starting to mist and that made me happy. A great song was playing through my head, perfect for dancing in the rain. I set down my little cactus and let myself lose.

_Hey, Soul Sister._

* * *

Fang walked into his house and took a bite of the sandwhich sitting on the table, ignoring the _Ce sandwich est Gaston. En mangent et meurent._note on the table. Fang went up to his room and looked through files spread across his desk. "Maxima Conduire" one of them read. Fang opened it up and read the whole thing. He hated not knowing about people.

_Âge: 16  
Taille: 5'10  
Poids: 143  
Anniversaire: 29 Février  
Naissance Ville: Calgary, Alberta_

Fang wasn't a stalker, okay, maybe a bit. How did he have access to these files? You won't believe this but, Fang's dad was spy. Kind of. He worked at a place called Itex. They basically ran the world. "Fang! Venez jouer avec des poupées-moi!" Fang's little sister, Angel, called up the stairs.

"Allez jouer avec vos amis, ou quelque chose!" He replied, looking at photos of Max. She was extremly beautiful.

* * *

We were in front of a house. A small cottage. In the middle of the wood. "This is the Thon's. Be nice. They have a daughter, Monet. You have to talk to her. No being silent, got it?" Was it just me or did Aunt Mahtava sound british..? Oh well. I nodded and we headed in.

Two knocks on the door later...

"Oh my gosh! Nous avons des visiteurs! Savez-vous combien de temps il a été depuis que nous avons eu des visiteurs? Puis-je répondre à la porte? Et si c'est un assassiner? J'ai juste regardé par le judas. Ce n'est pas une assassiner! C'est Mahtava! Et elle a quelqu'un! Savez-vous quoi? J'ouvre la porte! Salut Mahtava! Qui est ce? Elle a l'air un peu comme vous. Elle a les cheveux même." Aunt mahtava quickly cut the girl off in a quick bit of fluid french.

"Monet Voilà Max. Ma nièce." Monet's eyes lit up.

"Vraiment? Maxima? Celle que vous en parler tout le temps? Du Canada? At-elle parler français? Je ne connais pas beaucoup l'anglais .." She rambled on again and I kinda tuned her out.

"Va parler d'elle sur Google Translate." I was yanked inside the house by little hands and dragged to a computer. Monet brought up a translater and quickly type something up. After, she opened another window and put it on the other side of the screen. One was french to english and one was english to french. Smart.

I looked at 'Monet's' side and stared at the english part. _Hi! I'm Nudge!_

Confused, I type in my half. _Aunt Mahtava said your name was Monet._

Furiously, she pounded on the keys. _My nickname is Nudge._

Oh... _Okay then._

With determination, she wrote the next part. _Oh my god! Your from Canada! What is Canada like? I heard they live in igloos. Whats it like to live in an igloo? Have you met a polar bear? Is it cold. Oh, god. It's cold isn't it. I bet it is._Nudge passed the keyboard.

_1. I'm from Canada._

_2. Canada is like a country, except we speak english._

_3. We don't live in igloos._

_4. I haven't met a polar bear._

_5. Only cold in the winter._

She seemed disappointed but replied anyway. I was starting to like this 5'6, 11 year old, with long black hair. We continued our conversation for a bit, but soon we had to go.

Regretfully, I stood up, stretched my fingers and walked to the front door. "Au revoir!"

"Goodbye!" So we each knew goodbye in the other language. Cool.

**The Note: This is Gaston's sandwich. Eat it and die.**

**Max's File: **

**Age: 16**

**Height: 5'10**

**Weight: 143**

**Birthday: February 29**

**Birth Town: Calgary, Alberta**

**  
Angel on dolls: Fang! Come play dolls with me!**

**Fang's reply: Go play with your friends or something!**

**Nudge aka Monet: Oh my gosh! We have visitors! Do you know how long it's been since we had visitors? Can I answer the door? What if it's a murder? I just looked through the peep hole. It's not a murder! It's Mahtava! And she has someone! Do you know who? I'm opening the door! Hi Mahtava! Who is this? She looks kind of like you. She has the same hair.**

**Aunt Mahtava: Monet this is Max. My niece. **

**Nudge: Really? Maxima? The one you talk about all the time? From Canada? Does she speak French? I don't know much English..**

**Aunt Mahtava: Go talk to her on Google translate!**

**So, less French in this one, but translations. Happy? Reviews are appreciated!!!**


	3. Francois Noir and Aadi Noir

**a/n More translations at the bottom!! I just had to write this chapter. Sorry its short!**

Fang stared at the crying infant in his arms, hoping his mom would come home soon. "S'il vous plaît arrêter de pleurer, Aadi. Calme mon bébé." He held her close, rocking her from side to side. He had tried everything, diaper, bottle, everything. Quietly he began to sing to her. "Lions vous faire braves, les géants de vous donner la foi." The crying child wiped its eyes with it's tiny fists, and snuggled into Francois's chest.

"Papa" The 9 month old baby murmured.

"What?" Fang stopped singing and looked at his daughter, astonished.

"Papa" She smiled and nuzzled closer to her father.

"Oh mon Dieu!" Fang whisper yelled running to find someone, anyone, to share this with.

_Okay, I'm going to pause this scene. Being the narrator in this third person, I can do that. So, if you haven't figured out, Fang is a father. OMG! And yes, he is a teenager. He's 16 years and 9 months old. His daughter was born three days after his 16th Bday. Fang was born September 15 and his daughter September 18._

_  
_Angel and her sister, Leonie, were sitting in Angel's room playing dolls, like Fang had told her too. He just didn't expect his 14 year old sister would play dolls. "Elle a dit son premier mot." Fang muttered in amazement.

"Sérieusement?" Angel and Leonie said and sprang up, rushing to their brother. Tears shone in his eyes. He was so happy. He went over to the phone to call Aadi's mother and remembered he didn't know her phone number. The most her knew was she took off to England with her family, leaving him with their daughter. "Quel a été son premier mot?" Leonie pulled him from his thoughts, the tears now meaning something different altogether. He had to think for a moment.

"Papa" He murmured stroking the soft skin of his flesh and blood.

"Ohh..." Angel and Leonie cooed. Gaston appeared in the doorway, his hair ruffled.

"Que se passe-t-il?" The eight year old asked. His clothes were slightly singed from an old explosion gone wrong. Fang, Angel and Leonie didn't hesitate in filling him in. Same when Francois's parents got home. Soon it was a celebration of love. Everyone was happy, smiling, tears brimming in their eyes. Corbeau and Ondine Noir didn't hesitate in taking care of the baby for a bit. Fang needed to take it in, this was over whelming.

He followed the path he had made through the silent wood, under the stars. Soon he was at the clearing he frequented, where he met Maxima. Hopefully they could be good friends.

To Fang's astonishment, Maxima was sitting under the moonlight, writing her journal by the dim glow. "Hey" He muttered, sitting cross legged beside her.

"Oh, hi." She said, quickly closing the brown leather bound book. "Nice night" She muttered, sounding like a walking cliché.

"Defiantly. My daughter said her first words today."

"You have a daughter?"

"Yes."

"How old are you?"

"16"

"Holy crap" She seemed to be muttering to herself, not in an insane way, but more in a thinking out loud kind of way. Fang nodded and stared into the shadows, thinking about his daughter's name's meaning. 'Beginning' She sure was the beginning. The beginning of something he wouldn't give up for the world. "How old?"

Fang assumed she meant the baby "Nine months." The bright green leaves swayed in the gentle breeze, a small cloud rolling in over the moon.

"Wow." Max continued with her muttering, like a whispering to a silent ghost.

* * *

Fang to Aadi: Please stop crying, Aadi. Quiet my baby.

Fang's song: Lions make you brave, giants give you faith.

Aadi: Daddy

Fang: Oh my God!

Fang to Angel and Leonie: Elle a dit son premier mot.

Angel and Leonie: Seriously?

Leonie: What was her first word?

Gaston: Whats going on?


	4. Contemplation

**a/n French free chapter, my (Google) translator is acting up. Also, I made a name list on to keep track of my charcters. If you get confused (I already have, and I'm writing the story) go here: ****/namelist/9755751**  
**  
**_August 27,_

_I can't get HIM out of my head. I don't have a 'crush' on him, I'm just attracted to him. I don't know, it's like a bond thats been there forever. And what he said to me.. God, I can't even remember it now. Today was great. I met Nudge, shes really great. I have to admit, using a translator to converse is awesome. It just takes forever to type._

_You know, something is off. The atmosphere around the clearing just changed. I think I hear foo-_  
_  
_The footsteps turned into a shadow that sat down beside me. His hair flopped over one eye and there were tear stains down his face. He looked a mixture of joyful and sad. "Hey" the figure spoke and I quickly shut my journal and replied. I couldn't tell who it was yet.

"Oh, hi" My eyes being pretty well adjusted traced the plains of his face. I soon recognized the eyes. Fang's eyes. "Nice night." My eyes were trained to the glittering stars, dancing across the sky. Not a care in the world...

"Definatly." The one word sentence revealed a lot, his voice holding hundreds of emotions, inter mixed and tangled. "My daughter..." He sighed and seemed to get lost in thought for a second. Wait he ha- "said her first words today." He continued, turning over a pebble in his hands. Fang had a daughter?

Daughter?

As in...

child?

How old was he?

"You have a daughter." I confirmed it, not quite believing it.

"Yes." Holy.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen"

Same age as me. Holy crap. Thats like, holy crap. Same age as me. That means she was born when he was fifteen. And he... did it at fourteen, early fifteen. Oh my gosh... Fang+Baby=Father. A slight muttering filled my ears and I quickly shut my mouth. I muttered when I thought. Hopefully he hadn't picked up what I'd said...

_"_How old?" Hopefully he knew who I meant...

"Nine months."

"Wow." I whispered. This was... Oh wow. "If you don't mind me asking, who's the mom?"

Fang's face immediatly stopped showing emotion. The tear stains seemed to evaporate and his body went rigid. "Her name is Lissa. She moved to England with her family and left me here with the baby. I don't know where she is, her phone number, email, nothing. I only have her name, which leads to nothing." Quite a mouthful for the guy who doesn't say much, but I could see it in his eyes, the windows to the soul, how this affected him.

"I'm so sorry." I muttered.

"It's fine."

Slowly, I moved forward towards him. Tentivly, I wrapped my arms around him. "She said her first word. You should be with her." I whispered into his ear. I pulled away, picked up my things, and walked into the abyss.

---

When I got home, everyone was tucked into bed. I could tell, the lights were off. Slowly, I made my way up the lattice and through my open window. The summer air had warmed it nicely and it smelled of sheets that had been set to dry outside. Crisp and clean. I set my old leather bound book on my night stand and went to sit at my window seat. The window was still cranked open, a light summer breeze washed over my face. I breathed in, savoring life, and let go. Emotions flooded me, I immediatly pushed them away.

I couldn't though, and I felt tears fill my eyes. Spilling over the brim. Images of my parents raced through my mind, the tears coming in sobs. Quickly, I jumped up, grabbed my journal and countinued where I left off earlier.

_It was Fang. His daughter said her first words. More about that later._

_It's been three weeks since my parents were kidnapped, or ditched me. It's so depressing! I want them back, I want them to hold me. I can't stand them being gone. I mean, it's just. I can't stand it. What if I never see them again? What if they are murdered? That would kill me. I'm going to miss Dad but, how am I supposed to go through all this crappy teen stuff without my Mom? Or Dad? Or.. Oh God, i'm depressing myself furthur. Goodnight. -Max._

I held the beaten book to my chest, tears splashed down my cheeks and onto my hands where they were holding the artical from my mom. I got it for my fifteenth birthday. It was thick, it had over 3000 blank pages, where my creativity could flow.

---

**a/n I decided to do this in third person. That has views. Cause I couldn't think of anything else. ON WITH THE STORY!!**

The next day Max decided to go out to the Ocean. She now lived two minutes away from the Bay Of Biscay. Hey! That rhymed. Bay of Biscay. Bay of Bistramay! Uh... cough.

Anyway, like I was saying, Max walked down the small trodden path, through the wood and across a field until she reached the beach. She couldn't get to the water, she was standing on a cliff. Now, because I'm all mighty third person, I'm going to describe it.

The trees created a frame around the bottom and sides of the area she was looking at. Blue sky stretched for miles. Down below was a small road and a marina. The sun made the almost glassy water sparkle. A mixture of bright blue sky and sun made the boats colours pop. Especially white.

Max noticed footholds in the rock and gently made her way down. Soon enough, she was standing in a tangle of bushes on the packed dirt road. She picked her way through the leaves and thorns so she was standing on the edge of the water. A small drop led to the water. Max stood on the edge, spread out her arms, and let herself fall.  


* * *

August 25, 2007. Somewhere in the Canadian Arctic.

"Where is our daughter?" Soliel screamed at her captors. "Where is my hushband? Where am _I?!" _She threw herself forward, against the ropes that tied her to the chair, restraining her.

"Shut up." One of her captors stepped forward and stuck a needle just under the surface of Soliel's skin. He let the liquid in it go and she screamed, a fire burning not through her veins, but in her skin.

"Holy mother of-" She couldn't breathe, so that cut talking off. Spots covered her vision and it felt as if the substance was spreading and taking over her body. With the only breathe she could muster, she said one weak sentence. "Tell Max, I love her, and the answer, is in Fang." Her cold blue eyes rolled back in her head, and the men had a dead body on their hands.

The men did the same with Max's father, Kanoa. The did not realize, however, that another man was standing in the shadows. His name was Jeb Batchelder, and unlike the rest of these men, he had a heart. He wrote down both Kanoa and Soleil's last words. He would send them in a letter to their daughter. She deserved that much.

_Maxima,_

_I'm sorry, but your parents are dead. They were killed by an organization we cannot tell you about. I just thought, you had a right to know, your parents last words._

_Your moms, Soliel: "I love you, the answer is in Fang."_

_Your Dad, Kanoa: "I love you. We sent you to live with your aunt for a reason. The Noir family has so many answers."_

_I'm So Sorry._

_-Jeb._

He tucked the note into a small envelope, addressed it, and sent it on it's way.

* * *

Fang lay in bed, thinking. What about? His daughter was at the front of his mind. Right now, she was curled up, laying on his chest, wrapped in his arms. But biting at the back was Max. He didn't know why, she just was Maybe just the way she seemed to relate to him.

* * *

_There is a place where the sidewalk ends__  
__And before the street begins,_

___And there the grass grows soft and white,_

_______And there the sun burns crimson bright,_

_And there the moon-bird rests from his flight__  
__To cool in the peppermint wind._

_Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black__  
__And the dark street winds and bends.__  
__Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow__  
__We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,__  
__And watch where the chalk-white arrows go__  
__To the place where the sidewalk ends._

_Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,__  
__And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,__  
__For the children, they mark, and the children, they know__  
__The place where the sidewalk ends._

**a/n Poem "Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein"**


	5. Chases

**a/n so mr6 came out today. my parents wont drive me into town so i can read it :/ but i'll get it soon enough. um..ya**

"Max! Mail!" Aunt Mahtava yelled from downstairs.

"'Kay!" Max ran down the stairs, throwing her hair into a loose pony tail and picked up the first envelope.

_Maxima,_

_I'm sorry, but your parents are dead. They were killed by an organization we cannot tell you about. I just thought, you had a right to know, your parents last words._

_Your moms, Soliel: "I love you, the answer is in Fang."_

_Your Dad, Kanoa: "I love you. We sent you to live with your aunt for a reason. The Noir family has so many answers."_

_I'm So Sorry._

_-Jeb._

"Oh my Zeus." Max muttered, gripping the counter. She waited, for what she didn't know, while it sank in. Tears poured down her cheeks and Max barely registered her Aunt taking the envelope from her. With one swift motion, Max had ran across the room, opened the door and taking out over the fields.

---

**I've decided only to do french in MPOV cause she doesn't understand it.**

Unaware of the event that had just shattered Max's world, Fang held Aadi close to him and stumbled over the rocks and through the dense foliage. Slowly, he made his way into the clearing. Fang was part hoping Max would be here, but knew it was a long shot. He was right, she wasn't there. Of coarse we all knew where Max was, suicide mission. If your like wha- re-read chapter 4.

Anyway, a small rustling of leaves just off to Fang's right made him turn. Out emerged a red haired girl. It fell in slight waves down her sides and reached her waist. Her golden freckles brought out her emerald eyes. Fang's eyes traced every curve of her body he knew so well. "Lissa" He breathed.

She slowly walked the few paces to him and kneeled in front of where he was sittng with his, their, daughter. "Fang." They embraced in a hug, careful of the infant between them. "Aadi. I'm so sorry, baby." She kissed the top of her head and pulled her close. "I'm so, so, sorry." Her tears hit the top of the babies head. "Can she..." Lissa trailed off, looking into Fang's eyes and wiping away a tear.

"No." Fang replied. "I think her mom needs to teach her." He offered a weak smile, but he also found his eyes welling with tears. No, I can't cry, Fang though. Be strong.

Lissa nodded weakly and began to speak the same way. "I'm... I'm so sorry I left. I did it to protect Aadi, and you. I still love both of you." Fang nodded, shock shaking him. She still loved him. Oh, thank god.

Lissa suddenly gripped Fang's head between her hands and kissed him, long and hard. "So sorry." She murmered.

"I forgive you." Fang's cold black eyes bore into Lissa's. Aadi was clinging to her mom for dear life, obviously she didn't want Lissa to leave again.

"I'm not leaving anytime soon." Lissa whispered, kissing the little girl's head.

"Daddy." Aadi said and snuggled closer. Wide eyed, Lissa looked up at Fang who nodded.

"I missed her first words." Tears again brimmed her eyes and again Fang nodded. "What was it?"

"The same one she just said." Fang gingerly grabbed Aadi back, Lissa was handing her to him.

"Oh my gosh." She held her heart, like she was scared. But Fang knew how sad she was. It radiated off her like... a radiator thing.

A howl in the distance made both Lissa and Fang freeze. "They found me." Absolute terror filled Lissa's green eyes. "Run."

Fang followed Lissa's instructions, but when he reached the edge of the clearing, he turned back to watch his love take off. Lissa unfolded her gorgeous amber wings, jumped up, and shot into the sky. "I love you." Fang whispered into the wind and took off, avoiding roots and bushes.

About a kilometer later, he reached a river. He knew that four kilometers upstream, was the hideaway. He would be safe. Because it cut off all scent, Fang jumped in the cold water and began to run as fast as he could uphill, through the current.

The cold water bit at his feet as it leaked through his sn- Okay, honestly, nothing to narate here.

**FASTFORWARD ABOUT 20 MINUTES.**

Finally, Fang made it to the hideaway. It was a rock. Nothing unusual. Until you pressed your hand against it. A little green bar of light appeared and went down the length of his hand. A buzzing sound and the rock swung inward, letting Fang into a small entrance. Carefully he walked in the dark to the back wall. He watched as the door closed.

"Hello." A soft voice whispered from the other side. "I'm Mahtava. Soliel's sister. She asked me to take over this little mission here when she died. It was in her will." Mahtava struck a match and the small 7x8 room lit up.

"Yola." Fang said, rocking a sleeping Aadi back and forth. In the distance, Fang could hear the heavy feet of erasers hitting the ground, their distinct howls of losing their pray. Someone beside Mahtava whimpered and only then did Fang register the form of a sleeping girl. She was drenched and wrapped in numerous blankets. "Max?"

"Shh, she's sleeping. The school almost got her with these new shark-human hyrbids. Wait, how do you know her?"

"I met her in the forest. How do you... oh right. Your taking care of her?"

"Yes. Her parents... died. You should know that. I'm assuming Lissa told you." Fang took in all her words putting the pieces together. So Max's parents were paying to protect Aadi and Lissa... an me, I guess, Fang thought. And her parents died so her Aunt is taking over and Max went to live with... okay...

"Confused?"

"Sorta."

"I'll explain."


End file.
